The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has called for the rapid development and use of biotechnology particularly in agriculture as alternative source to diversify the economic and generate revenue for Nigeria’s national growth.

Sir Rufus Ebegba, director-general and chief executive officer of the agency who made the call during a capacity workshop held in Abuja, hinted that biotechnology if properly deployed has the potentials to turn-around the nations over reliance on oil for revenue and foster her aspiration of economic diversification.

The NBMA briefly after its establishment issued a moratorium of six months which expired December 2015 to all operators involved in GM practices to formalise their dealings with the agency for proper regulation or face punishment as stipulated by the biosafety Act.

The DG/CEO disclosed that the similarities in both GM and non-GM products have made training and retraining of workers inevitable to enable them meet current challenges of GM detection and analysis so as to effectively carry out the agency’s mandate.

So, the workshop according to him is a conscious and positive attempt to empower staffs with the required knowledge to detect and analyse all forms of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) before their release for consumption across the country. The agency has also collaborated with relevant security operatives such as the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to efficiently implement her enforcement responsibility.

“This training is very important to the life and responsibilities bestowed on the agency,” Sir Ebegba said. “It will strengthen staffs in the application of the knowledge they have acquired over the years to meet the current dynamics of biosafety.”

The NBMA boss emphasised the need to consider biotechnology as crucial tool especially in food production and raw material for industrial growth since the present administration pride its national economic development goals around agriculture.

He said there is need for partnership between media, research institutes, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) as well as other relevant stakeholders in the sector to successfully realise this noble goal.

“The era of research for paperwork and academic accolade is over,” the NBMA helmsman said. “Products must be delivered for the development of our country.”

Sir Ebegba assured that the NBMA under his reign will continue to work with related sister agencies and institutions to ensure adequate and necessary environment to realize the nation’s economic agenda and entrench global best standards in the enforcement of biosafety regulations.

Professor Oyekanmi Nash, director of Genomics & Bioinformatics under NABDA and lead facilitator at the event referred to the exercise as fundamental requirement for the proper enforcement of biosafety regulation in the country.

Prof. Nash while analyzing the origin of life revealed that gene manipulation is a phenomenon that is driven by natural processes which must be understood to enhance the appropriate application of the science.

He debunked all the allegations raised against the safety of GMOs and attributed most of such claims to political cum economic reasons rather than science which is the base for gene analysis.

According to him, the overwhelming public perception about the safety of GMOs is “because it is not God, but man made.”

“God said we should improve on what He has done,” Prof. Nash said. “And to improve on that you must first understand the mind of God, the blueprint of life”

I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out proper here. The cartoon is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. however, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. sick certainly come further until now again since precisely the similar nearly a lot incessantly inside of case you defend this hike.